WK,QWHUQDWLRQDO&RQIHUHQFHRQ5HQHZDEOH(QHUJ\5HVHDUFKDQG$SSOLFDWLRQV 3DOHUPR,WDO\1RY

2015 International Conference on Renewable Energy Research and Application

Comparison on the use of PV systems in the vertical

walls
F. Viola, P. Romano, R. Miceli, C. Spataro, G. Schettino, M. Caruso, A. Busacca, A. Parisi, S. Guarino, A. Cino

Dipartimento di Energia, ingegneria dell’Informazione e modelli Matematici, DEIM, University of Palermo, Italy

Abstract— In this article the preliminary evaluation of the

performance of a photovoltaic window is presented. The aim is to
trace the behavior of next-generation systems, which favor
architectonical integration. Three different systems have been
taken into account: a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC), blue and
grey caved silicon panels. The systems can be placed behind a
window or behind a wall of glass blocks.
II. STRUCTURES
The first structure under study is vertical glass wall. For this
structure three different generation systems have been
developed: the first one is a DSSC and the other two are silicon
dug panels. Figure 1 shows systems under study.

Keywords- green energy; integrated photovoltaic, DSSC.

I. INTRODUCTION
In the recent years buildings account for about 40% of world
CO2 emissions, mainly due to their air conditioning, heating and
electricity systems. Therefore, renewable energy use and
performance optimization in buildings are critical to fight
climate change. Several efforts have been addressed towards
the reduction of building consumption, improving the
performance of the building envelope, without giving up on
building aesthetics and at sustainable costs (e.g. using novel
building materials, integrated generation heat and electric
devices).
Actually, new photovoltaic technologies, aimed at making
Figure 1. Particular of the PV wall, DSSC has an orange color dye,
solar cells cheaper than the traditional photovoltaic (PV) and laminated silicon systems are grey and blue.
with better architectural integration, are developed. Among
these innovative technologies, referred as third PV generation, Windows with integrated PV systems have been settled with
solar cells based on semiconductors, which have a nano- dimensions 1200 mm x 600 mm; DSSC has a eight sub-panels,
crystalline structure, in which hybrid organic–inorganic dyes, laminated silicon panels are not subdivided, their transparency
able to absorb sunlight, seem the most promising. These cells degree varies from dark (opaque) to a conventional 40%.
are identified as DSSC from the acronym dye-sensitized solar The sub-panels of DSSC have been connected in series. By
cell [1].The possibility of using cells of different colors and considering a morning in which the irradiance was 709 W/m2
various degrees of transparency offers a high potential for for horizontal plane, in the vertical system the open circuit
architecturally integrated applications [2]. Furthermore, DSSC voltage reaches 20 V, and the short circuit current 0.3A.
modules can be indeed bifacial devices, able to convert Figure 2 and 3 show the voltage-current and voltage-power
efficiently into electricity the light coming from both outside profiles.
and indoor environments.
Ϭ͕ϰ
The traditional systems, however, are far to be left in favor
of new-generation systems, in fact, a particular evolution of Ϭ͕ϯ
ƵƌƌĞŶƚ΀΁

silicon panels can be used in the generation that uses as a Ϭ͕Ϯ

support glass of windows: systems in which the silicon is dug Ϭ͕ϭ
to ensure the transparency of the support have been developed.
Ϭ
The aim of this paper is to evaluate the performance of the
ͲϭϬ ͲϬ͕ϭ Ϭ ϭϬ ϮϬ ϯϬ
systems and trace-out the economic advantages of the use of the
sŽůƚĂŐĞ΀s΁
new technologies.

Figure 2. Voltage-current profile of the DSSC vertical system.

978-1-4799-9982-8/15/$31.00 ©2015 IEEE

,&5(5$ 1651
WK,QWHUQDWLRQDO&RQIHUHQFHRQ5HQHZDEOH(QHUJ\5HVHDUFKDQG$SSOLFDWLRQV 3DOHUPR,WDO\1RY
2015 International Conference on Renewable Energy Research and Application

Ϯ
Ϭ͕ϰ
ϭ͕ϱ
Ϭ͕ϯ
WŽǁĞƌ΀t΁

ƵƌƌĞŶƚ΀΁
ϭ Ϭ͕Ϯ

Ϭ͕ϱ Ϭ͕ϭ
Ϭ
Ϭ
ͲϭϬ Ϭ ϭϬ ϮϬ ϯϬ ϰϬ ϱϬ ϲϬ
Ͳϱ Ϭ ϱ ϭϬ ϭϱ ϮϬ Ϯϱ ͲϬ͕ϭ
ͲϬ͕ϱ ǀŽůƚĂŐĞ΀s΁
sŽůƚĂŐĞ΀s΁
Figure 6. Voltage-current profile of the blue silicon vertical system.
Figure 3. Voltage-power profile of the DSSC vertical system.

The technique used to make the transparent silicon is to dig

the laminations, removing the active material, so as the degree
of transparency increases, the cells are more and more emptied ϴ
of electrical sources. Data sheets suggest that maximum power ϲ

WŽǁĞƌ΀t΁
of a windows varies from 45 Wp to 20 Wp depending on the ϰ
degree of transparency. Open circuit voltage has a constant
value 58 V, only current varies with transparency short circuit Ϯ
current varies from 1.07 A to 0.54A. The vertical placement Ϭ
reduces the estimated values. ͲϭϬ ͲϮ Ϭ ϭϬ ϮϬ ϯϬ ϰϬ ϱϬ ϲϬ
Figures 4 and 5 show the performance of the grey silicon in sŽůƚĂŐĞ΀s΁
the vertical wall.
Ϭ͕ϰ
Figure 7. Voltage-power profile of the blue silicon vertical system.
Ϭ͕ϯ
ƵƌƌĞŶƚ΀΁

Ϭ͕Ϯ
It is possible to evaluate the efficiency of the vertical walls,
Ϭ͕ϭ
on horizontal surface the incoming power is 709W/m2, panels
Ϭ have a surface of 0.72 m2, in such a way the efficiency is 0.31%
ͲϭϬ ͲϬ͕ϭ Ϭ ϭϬ ϮϬ ϯϬ ϰϬ ϱϬ ϲϬ for DSSC and 1.37% for the silicon panels.
sŽůƚĂŐĞ΀s΁ The low efficiency has to be related to the vertical
inclination of panels, which reduces the efficiency to 10% of
Figure 4. Voltage-current profile of the grey silicon vertical system. the best azimuth placement.
During the day, presented power values vary, but for the
economic balance are taken those reported here.

ϴ GLASS BLOCK WALL

ϲ Figure 8 shows the glass block and internal PV structure.
DSSC or silicon is fixed in the surface facing the internal
WŽǁĞƌ΀t΁

ϰ environment, in order to protect and maintain it.

Ϯ The structure can be imagined as composed of two shells of
transparent glass, held together by a frame opaque. The glass
Ϭ
structure has the task of ensuring the mechanical function of the
ͲϭϬ Ϭ ϭϬ ϮϬ ϯϬ ϰϬ ϱϬ ϲϬ
ͲϮ system, but also to present the best passage to the light
sŽůƚĂŐĞ΀s΁ radiation, it must therefore be assumed flat surfaces and not
corrugated. The possibilities of DSSC integration into the glass
Figure 5. Voltage-power profile of the grey silicon vertical system.
block have been studied and deeply discussed in previous works
[2-3].
Figures 6 and 7 show the performance of the blue silicon in
the vertical wall.

,&5(5$ 1652
WK,QWHUQDWLRQDO&RQIHUHQFHRQ5HQHZDEOH(QHUJ\5HVHDUFKDQG$SSOLFDWLRQV 3DOHUPR,WDO\1RY
2015 International Conference on Renewable Energy Research and Application
realization are undoubtedly less complex than those for a cell
of silicon.

IV. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SYSTEMS

Figure 8. Section of the glass block in which thePV cell is red coloured: 1
internal placement on the surface, 2 in the middle section.
In [3] is reported the characterization of the shaded areas in
the glass block. By taking into account the radiation in free
space and beyond the glass block an average in order of 10%
reduction can be evaluated, as shown in figure 9.
For quantitative analysis, a 1.5kWp wall has been taken into
account. We consider both the technical data found in literature,
both the values experimentally obtained. For the comparison
between DSSC, the Mayer cell has been considered, for silicon
panel an opaque panel has been taken into account.
Table 1 shows the costs of vertical integrated systems. The
cheaper systems is the one created with opaque silicon panel,
which cannot be used for a window. Interesting performance is
given by the Mayer cell, which cost is near to the traditional
opaque panel. Not brilliant performances have been shown by
monitored systems, for which efficiency is far from the
theoretical.
The use of a glass wall cement slightly increases the costs
for the realization of the system.

Table 1
Figure 9. Distributions of daylight in the surface of the glass block, referred Technical literature Experimental
to the free space.
DSSC Silicon DSSC Grey Blue
III. COST OF SYSTEMS Efficiency 5% 15%
Vertical 2.5% 7.5% 0.31% 1.31% 1.31%
Costs of the two PV types are different and depend on the Surface [m2] 40 13.3 322.6 76.6 76.6
complexity of the used processes. Several factors affect the Cost [€] 4068 3273 32806 18740 18740
final cost, especially the difficulty and the number of Glassblock [€] 4520 # 36452 20823 20823
operations. The process of construction of a DSSC is
undoubtedly less complicated because the operations to be V. CONCLUSION
carried out are simpler and fewer in number and, at the same
In this paper, a comparison between the costs of vertical
time, the energy required for hot working is much lower. The
wall has been traced. Vertical transparent walls, made with
only process that requires a heating of the material is the
DSSC and laminated silicon cells, show costs greater than a
sintering process, while the creation of a silicon cell high
traditional vertical PV systems, suggesting that better
temperatures are required by the processes of purification,
technologies have to be developed in order to perform a
doping, and deposition of the anti-reflective coating. Moreover,
competitive answer to already used tecnologies.
what makes the process more complex is the need for an
extremely clean inside the working environment, because the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
process of silicon purification must be done perfectly to avoid
The authors acknowledge the financial support from
abrupt efficiency declines due to the presence of impurities. University of Palermo and from PON i-Next:Innovation for
The production technologies required for DSSC are, greeN Energy and eXchange in Transportation, PON04a2_H
however, now fully developed in other industrial sectors, so 2007-2013.
there are no established technologies and energy-efficient
process that allow reducing the payback time for any REFERENCES
investment. [1] O’Reagan, B., Grätzel, M., “A low-cost, high-efficiency solar cell based
Data on the cost of production of DSSC are not easily found on dye-sensitized colloidal TiO2 films”, in Nature353, 737 - 740 (24
in the literature. Researchers in [5] have estimated production October 1991); doi:10.1038/353737a0.
costs for DSSC cells are respectively: 2.2 $ / Wp (DSSC Mayer) [2] Kalyanasundaram, K., Ed., Dye-sensitized solar cells, EPFL Press,
Lausanne, ISBN: 978-2-940222-36-0.
and 0.8 $ / Wp (Smestad). The most interesting for our case
[3] Corrao, R., Morini, M., “Integration of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells with
study is the cost per m2, estimated at 64 $/ m2 (58.9 €/m2) for Glassblock”, in CZASOPISMO TECHNICZNE, Issue 3, Year 109, p. 55-
Smestad or 110.6 $/ m 2 (101.7 € / m2) for the DSSC of Mayer, 64, ISSN: 0011-4561.
prices calculated with the current exchange rate. Mayer suggest [4] Viola, F ; Romano, P; Miceli, R; Riva Sanseverino, E; Corrao, R; Morini,
an efficiency of 5% for the DSSC, Smestad of 25%. M; Pastore. L; Pidanic, J; Perrone, G, Performance of the Glass Block in
The considered production cost of a polycrystalline silicon Photovoltaic Generation, 2015 Tenth International Conference on
Ecological Vehicles and Renewable Energies (EVER), Monaco Ever
cell is of $ 1.78 / Wp and 267$/݉ଶ (245,5€/݉ଶ ) and it is been 2015
considered also for the laminated cell. [5] Joseph Kalowekamo , Erin Baker , “Estimating the manufacturing cost
As we can notice, the production costs of the cells DSSC are of purely organic solar cells”, Volume 83, Issue 8, August 2009, Pages
lower, and this confirms that the processes that lead to its 1224–1231, doi:10.1016/j.solener.2009.02.003

,&5(5$ 1653